So how did they check / clear hydraulic locks on Stirlings, Sunderlands et al? Just interested.....
I used to belong to Cardiff Wales Flying Club, which had at one point been the HQ for Cambrian Airways - which amongst other aircraft used DC-3's. One of the PPL's at the club had been an engineer at Cambrian, and told me about 'rope starting' on really cold days when the batteries weren't up to much, and explained the procedure. I wasn't sure whether he was winding me up or not, so had a look on the internet and found this:
IN CASES OF EMERGENCY, DC3 ENGINES CAN BE ‘ROPE STARTED’, SHOULD THE
STARTER MOTOR BE INOPERATIVE. IN CARRYING OUT THIS OPERATION, IT IS
ESSENTIAL TO PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO SAFETY AND PROCEDURE AND ALWAYS
START THE ENGINE TO BE ROPE STARTED, FIRST. IN ADDITION, A CHECK SHOULD
BE MADE THROUGH THE OPERATIONS OFFICE TO ENSURE THAT NO OPERATIONAL
ALTERNATIVE IS POSSIBLE.
PROCEDURE:- WITH THE APPROVED ROPE SLING ON HAND, PROCEED AS FOLLOWS:--
A) CHECK THAT IGNITION SWITCHES ARE 'OFF' AND MIXTURE CONTROL IN IDLE
CUT-OFF,
B) THE ENGINE TO BE STARTED SHOULD BE TURNED OVER BY HAND, FOR FOUR AND
A HALF COMPLETE TURNS (14 BLADES), TO CHECK FOR HYDRAULICING
C) PRIME ENGINE.
1) IGNITION OFF (2) MIXTURE IDLE CUT-OFF
3) THROTTLE SET (1/2 INCH ON GATE) (4) BOOSTER PUMP ON
5) WHILE THE ENGINE IS BEING TURNED BY HAND, GIVE PRIMING IN ONE SECOND
BURSTS (FOUR FOR HOT AND UP TO, PERHAPS, FOURTEEN FOR COLD ENGINE)
6) BOOSTER PUMP OFF.
D) FIT ROPE SLING. PLACE END BOOT OVER ONE BLADE TIP AND ROTATE ENGINE
BACK WARDS UNTIL THE FOLLOWING BLADE IS AT THE EIGHT O'CLOCK POSITION
AND THEN PLACE SECOND BOOT OVER THE TIP ENSURING THAT :-
A) BOOTS CENTRALLY POSITIONED AROUND BLADE TIPS.
B) ROPES PARALLELED (NO TWISTS)
c) RUBBER SLEEVE (1) LOCATED FIRMLY AGAINST TRAILING EDGE
OF BLADE (B)
D) RUBBER SLEEVE (2) LOCATED ABOUT 2 FT. FROM LEADING EDGE
OF BLADE (B)
LAY OUT REST OF ROPE IN STRAIGHT LINE TOWARDS THE PORT OF THE AIRCRAFT.
YOU ARE NOW READY TO START, TO CHECK 'All CLEAR' DOOR SHUT, STEPS AWAY
ETC.
WITH THE PILOT IN THE COCKPIT, MAN THE ROPE WITH, PERHAPS, THREE PEOPLE
PLACED
COMFORTABLY HOLDING THE ROPE WITH A SLIGHT SAG IN THE MIDDLE,
THE PILOT NOW SWITCHES IGNITION 'ON', BOOSTER PUMP 'ON' AND, AT A GIVEN
SIGNAL THE ROPE 15 PULLED THROUGH WITH A JERK AND, IMMEDIATELY THE
ENGINE FIRES THE PILOT OPENS THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND FLICKS THE PRIMING
SWITCH IF NECESSARY.
SHOULD THE ENGINE NOT START ON FIRST PULL, REPEAT PROCEDURES FROM D)
ENSURING THE IGNITION SWITCHES ARE 'OFF' WHILE THE PROPELLER IS BEING
HANDLED.
CAUTION:- To AVOID POSSIBLE FLOODING ETC.; RETURN MIXTURE CONTROL TO
‘IDLE CUT-OFF’ AND SWITCH OFF BOOSTER, AS SOON AS IT IS REALIZED THAT
THE ENGINE HAS NOT STARTED.